Component for soundproofing

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a component for soundproofing, wherein the component has a frame-shaped structure which has a single wall or multi-wall plastic composite or comprises such a composite.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to German Utility Model Application No. 20 2006 014 248.7, filed Sep. 18, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a component for soundproofing.

Such components or soundproofing elements are known in numerous different embodiments, for example on highways or railroad lines. They are used to quiet noise coming from a point-shaped or linear or planar source of noise (e.g. roads, railroad tracks) so that the noise can be attenuated so much at an immission site to be protected (e.g. residential districts, hospitals) that the pollution is reduced and the statutory limits are observed.

It is the underlying object of the present disclosure to provide a component for effective soundproofing, in particular for sound absorption of the noise generated by rail vehicles.

SUMMARY

In one example, this object is addressed by a component in accordance with the present disclosure that has a frame of plastic or comprises such a frame, with the frame comprising a single wall or multi-wall plastic composite. Such a component in particular serves the sound absorption of the noise coming from rail vehicles. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a use, but can also be used for soundproofing in other cases such as on highways.

The frame-shaped structure or the component can have one or more concavely curved walls, with preferably at least the wall directed toward the sound source having a concave shape. It is furthermore conceivable that the frame-shaped structure has at least two oppositely disposed concavely curved walls which are, for example, in specular symmetry with one another.

The component in accordance with the present disclosure can have a frame-shaped structure which is planar.

The frame-shaped structure can be closed or open in the peripheral direction. It is conceivable to make the frame-shaped structure as a closed section which has two long sides, of which at least one is concave, and which are connected by means of two short sides which can be planar.

It is furthermore conceivable that the frame-shaped structure bounds a hollow space and is open or closed at one or both end faces. The hollow space can be empty, evacuated or filled at least partly with a filler material. The filler material can be water, sand, gravel or hydroculture and the like, for example.

In a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the material of the frame-shaped structure is a thermoplastic. A weather-resistant plastic such as PP or PE is preferably provided. The use of recycled thermoplastic product, preferably coextruded product is also conceivable to keep the surfaces even with the same coloring.

The frame-shaped structure can be of single wall design or of multi-wall design.

In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the component is manufactured in the twin sheet process or in the blow molding process. With a single-wall construction, the component is preferably made in the twin sheet process. It can, however, also be made in the blow molding process. With a multi-wall construction, the component is preferably manufactured in the twin sheet process and is subsequently folded to form the finished structure.

The component in accordance with the present disclosure or its frame-shaped structure can have a smooth surface or a structured surface. It can have fairly large recesses or nests on its surface. The surface can thus be smooth, grained or structured or have wide-area indentations or recesses.

The above object may also be addressed by a soundproofing wall having a plurality of the above features and/or components. The components can be connected to one another directly or indirectly.

The components of the soundproofing wall can have at least one concavely curved wall and can be arranged such that the curves of the components are flush with one another and/or merge with one another.

In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the components of the soundproofing wall have a height less than the height of the vehicles usually traveling on the travel path. It is conceivable that the height of the components of the soundproofing wall is such that it is above the height of the wheels of the vehicle and below three times the height, preferably twice the height, of the wheels of the vehicle.

The present disclosure further relates to a travel path, in particular a railroad line, with one or more of the above described components and/or one or more of the above described soundproofing walls—in each case at one or both sides—being arranged in the area next to the travel line of the travel path.

The present disclosure furthermore relates to a method of manufacturing a component having one or more of the above features. The component is accordingly made in the twin sheet process. A component is preferably made in this manner with a multi-wall construction and is subsequently folded to form the finished structure.

A further method of manufacturing a component is the blow molding process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further details and advantages of the present disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a soundproofing wall in accordance with the present disclosure arranged next to a railroad line;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective representation of a component in accordance with the present disclosure in single-wall construction;

FIG. 3 shows perspective representation of a component in accordance with the present disclosure in multi-wall construction; and

FIG. 4 shows a perspective representation of a component in accordance with the present disclosure in multi-wall construction before and after folding to form the finished structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows in a schematic representation a box 10 of a rail vehicle running on wheels 20, of which one is shown, in cross-section in a partial view.

The soundproofing wall 30, which comprises a series of components in accordance with the present disclosure, such as noted above herein, which can be connected to one another directly or indirectly, is located parallel to the travel path.

The wheel 20 forms the noise source starting from which the sound beams 40 are formed. As can be seen from FIG. 1, at least some of the sound beams are absorbed or reflected at the soundproofing wall.

The components forming the soundproofing wall are made of thermoplastic, for example of weather-resistant and inexpensive PE or PP. Recycled thermoplastic can generally also be used. The surface of the components can be smooth or also structured. The surface can, for example, be made with large-area indentations or recesses.

FIG. 2 shows a component in accordance with the present disclosure in a perspective representation. The component is made as a substantially rectangular frame in cross-section, with the long oppositely disposed sides being curved inwardly so that the longitudinal axes of the curves extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the component. The long sides are formed by short, horizontal elements which form the base or the cover of the component.

The component is preferably made in one piece.

It can be made in single wall construction, as is shown in FIG. 2, or also in multi-wall construction, as is shown in FIG. 3. With a single wall construction, the component is preferably made by blow molding or by the twin sheet process, and with a multi-wall construction, it is preferably made by the twin sheet process and is subsequently folded to form the finished structure, as is illustrated in FIG. 4. The component may include one or more of the features as described herein. 

1. A component for soundproofing, wherein the component comprises a frame-shaped structure which has a single wall or multi-wall plastic composite or comprises such a composite.
 2. The component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the component comprises the frame-shaped structure, and where the frame-shaped structure comprises one or more concavely curved walls.
 3. The component in accordance with claim 2, wherein the frame-shaped structure has at least two oppositely disposed concavely curved walls in specular symmetry with one another.
 4. The component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the frame-shaped structure is planar.
 5. The component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the frame-shaped structure is closed or open in the peripheral direction.
 6. The component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the frame-shaped structure bounds a hollow space and is open or closed at one or both end faces.
 7. The component in accordance with claim 6, wherein the hollow space is empty or is partly or fully filled with a filler material.
 8. The component in accordance with claim 7, wherein the filler materials is water, sand, gravel or hydroculture.
 9. The component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plastic is a thermoplastic.
 10. The component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the frame-shaped structure is single walled or multi-walled.
 11. The component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the component is manufactured in a twin sheet process or in a blow molding process.
 12. The component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the frame-shaped structure has a smooth surface or a structured surface.
 13. The component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the frame-shaped structure has recesses on its surface.
 14. A soundproofing wall comprising: a plurality of soundproofing components, each soundproofing component having a frame-shaped structure which has a single wall or multi-wall plastic composite.
 15. The soundproofing wall in accordance with claim 14, wherein the components have at least one concavely curved wall and are arranged such that the curves of the components are flush with one another.
 16. The soundproofing wall in accordance with claim 14, wherein the components of the soundproofing wall have a height less than the height of the vehicles traveling on the travel path.
 17. The soundproofing wall in accordance with claim 14, wherein the components of the soundproofing wall have a height which is above the height of the wheels of the vehicle and below three times the height of the wheels of the vehicle.
 18. A system comprising: a travel path having a travel line; and one or more soundproofing components, each soundproofing component having a frame-shaped structure which has a single wall or multi-wall plastic composite and/or one or more soundproofing walls having said soundproofing component arranged in an area next to the travel line of the travel path.
 19. The system of claim 18 wherein the travel path is a railroad line.
 20. A method of manufacturing a component having a frame-shaped structure which has a single wall or multi-wall plastic composite, wherein the component is manufactured in the twin sheet process.
 21. A method of manufacturing a component having a frame-shaped structure which has a single wall or multi-wall plastic composite, wherein the component is manufactured in the blow molding process, in particular a railroad line 